Your broiler is a useful kitchen tool, and whether you use it to refresh day-old fried foods or make the perfect pizza crust, it helps to know where your hot and cold spots are to avoid uneven heating when you turn the broiler on. America's Test Kitchen shows us how to make a map of your broiler so you'll never burn your food again.

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All you'll need for this is a flat cookie sheet or baking pan lined with slices of white bread. Put your broiler rack near the top, and slide the pan under the broiler once it's come up to temp. Leave the pan in place until all of the slices of bread have started to brown, and then take the pan out. As soon as you look at the bread, you'll have an idea of whether your broiler is even, or where your hot and cool spots are located.

America's Test Kitchen suggests you take a photo of the pan when you're finished so you'll always be able to remember where you should or shouldn't rotate, or which areas will cook faster than others. It's a very simple trick, and you'll have a lot of toast when you're finished, but it's definitely better than wondering why the fries on one part of the cookie sheet are burned while the fries on another part are fine, or why the bacon on one side is crispy and the other side is less so.